Atom Economy
Atom economy was designed in a different way to all the other metrics; most of these were designed to measure the improvement that had been made. Barry Trost conversely, designed atom economy as a method by which organic chemists would pursue “greener” chemistry. The simple definition of atom economy is a calculation of how much of the reactants remain in the final product. This is shown below:
For a generic multi-stage reaction: A + B → C C + D → E E + F → G
Atom economy = m.w. of G × 100 Σ (m.w. A,B,D,F)
The drawback of atom economy is that assumptions have to be made. For example, inorganic reagents (such as potassium carbonate in a Williamson ether synthesis) are ignored as they are not incorporated into the final product. Also, solvents are ignored, as is the stoichiometry of the reagents.
The atom economy calculation is a very simple representation of the “green-ness” of a reaction as it can be carried out without the need for experimental results. However, it is useful as a low atom economy at the design stage of a reaction prior to entering the laboratory can drive a cleaner synthetic strategy to be formulated.
Read more about this topic: Green Chemistry Metrics
Famous quotes containing the words atom and/or economy:
“The atom bomb was no “great decision.”... It was merely another powerful weapon in the arsenal of righteousness.”
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972)
“The aim of the laborer should be, not to get his living, to get “a good job,” but to perform well a certain work; and, even in a pecuniary sense, it would be economy for a town to pay its laborers so well that they would not feel that they were working for low ends, as for a livelihood merely, but for scientific, or even moral ends. Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)